The Palazzo Papafava dei Carraresi is a historical building just south of what used to be the Jewish Ghetto of Padua. It is private property and not open to the public.
Palazzo Papafava dei Carraresi Padua
Address, opening hours and ticket price
Address: Via Marsala, 59 – Padua. Phone: (+39) 049 8774693. The building is private property and can only be visited on special occasions.
History and Description
The building now known as the Palazzo Papafava dei Carraresi was built in 1763 by by Count Giambattista Trento. In 1805 it was bought by the prosperous and powerful Papafava dei Carraresi family.
During World War I it was the headquarters of the French Army, while during World War II it was the seat of the Ministry of National Education. After the war, until the 1980’s, it housed a Padova University faculty.
The architect was Giovan Battista Novello (1715-1799). Although Novello was born in Padova, it was his first work in the city, after having lived eighteen years in Spain.
The most striking aspect of the palace’s interior is the big staircase in the large entrance hall. The frescoes were painted by the Venetian artist Francesco Zugno.